Heading off to Norway

Perhaps instead of Intentional Traveler this episode should be titled the Insane Traveler!  Booking a trip not only to Norway in February but all the way up, up, up to the very top! All the way up to above the Arctic Circle!  In February!

Thank heaven it is a cruise.  Viking Ocean Star is the saving grace.  It will be bright, and cozy, and warm!  Outside it will be white!  I expect to see icy blue seas with, hopefully, not too many white caps.  I expect to see icy peaks of the fjords and snowy banks.  Mountains with white shimmering down their sides like crystalline ball gowns glistening in the night light.  I expect to see dark. 2o+ hours of dark!  In Alta, our highest point of land there will be sunlight on February 10 from 9:45 a.m. to 1:36 p.m. 3 hours and 52 minutes.  And for me, who loves sunlight so much that I have 38 windows in my house, every minute counts!  I wonder if someone will tell me how many seconds?

My friend, Ruth, and I will be traveling together.  We meet up in London which is where we started our last trip together.  If you were with us in August for England, Wales, and Scotland, you might remember that Ruth is a lot of fun and we always have a good time no matter what!   This will be her first trip on Viking Ocean.  Ruth loved the river cruises when I introduced her to them so now I think she wants to compare.

A year ago the Viking Sky had trouble on this same itinerary at this same time of year.  I remember saying that if I was in trouble on a cruise, and, knock wood, so far I have been very lucky, and Viking is the line and the crew to choose.  They proved themselves then and I have total confidence in my safety and enjoyment on this one. A harrrowing adventure!

 

My friend, Anna, and her husband, Gary, will be on this tour as well.  I year ago I introduced them to Viking River.  They were so pleased that they immediately booked an ocean trip and this will be their second. We will be all together on some of the shore excursions and others not. For instance, Ruth is going to spend 7 hours visiting a reindeer ranch and even take a ride on a reindeer drawn sled.  Anna, Gary, and I are going to the top of a mountain at midnight to watch, with any luck, the Northern Lights.  

Yes, the Northern Lights are the reason for this cruise and the reason to go at this time of year.  Why Northern Lights?  We will see the spectacle especially well if there are a lot of electro-magnetic collisions of solar gasses entering the earth’s atmosphere.  To best enjoy them there must be clear (read cold) darkness and the patience of the viewer.  

I think of the Aurora Borealis, the proper name in the Northern Hemisphere, as a feminine phenomenon.  Like a girl with the name Aurora the lights might be shy or if they like us they may dance showily on the horizon.  If Aurora loves us she will fling out her colorful skirts and swoop and swirl above and around us!  We hope for the best.

If Aurora is reluctant to perform for us we will still have a great trip.  I have not been to Norway and so can check it off the list.  We will not be going to the capital, Oslo, but to the western edges.  Leaving from London we will be crossing through the English Channel and into the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea – The Arctic Ocean.

So please join me, once again, and let us explore together Norway, experience Arctic weather, and meet the Sami people and their language!

Mai Chau Valley Trek

This popped up in DRAFTS so here you go.  No idea why this is here now but since I am heading to Norway next week I thought I would be all caught up.  Yes, I know this is weird but join me next week on my way to the Artic Circle in February!

Mai Chau Valley

Breakfast was done in a Western with eggs, bacon, sausages, as well as Pho and vegetables.  We were not rushed.  This was good since we really were still recovering from the jet lag of a day in midair.  We left the compound about 9:00 a.m. for a short drive to another village.  The White Thai people are farmers and, like farmers everywhere, love their animals.  They were in rugged enclosures that offered little protection from cold and rain.  As a matter of fact, there was an unusual drop of the average temperatures a few weeks ago and 1000 Water Buffalo froze to death!  But the VietNamese are resourceful and waste nothing.  The cattle were butchered and are being sold along the roadside.  Because the temperatures have remained refrigerator like, the meat has kept …as far as they are concerned.

Here we happened upon the butcher, a lady, who had the box of meat strapped to her motorcycle.  She carried a scale and was selling the last of the meat from this morning’s work.

This village was not too much different from the one yesterday but it was interesting to come upon fish farms and also to see that here some people are changing their culture by building more modern homes.  The have cement pillars and decorative cement walls with the upper floor of the more traditional wood.

By the same token traditional tools and methods are used for farming.  Here a man in an old army uniform is creating a plow share for the water buffalo to pull.

We passed some young men carrying long bamboo poles.  Later we came upon them again where they were beating the tree leaves.  One boy, carrying a pink plastic bag, was only looking at the ground.  He would quickly bend down and pick something up.  It turns out they were collecting a treat – bugs!

These would be fried for a crunchy special treat.  On the left you see the biggest Stink Bug you ever saw!

Working in the rice paddies is tedious but done with enough pride to make perfect tiny rows.  Row after row.  Each family has one or two paddies which take the whole family to maintain.

We stopped in at one of Phil’s sisters which simply means a woman of about the same age.  An older person is considered an aunt or uncle.  It is a sign of respect.  We had green tea and they entertained us with singing.  In return we sang You Are My Sunshine which is a song to which they knew some of the words.  We laughed and clapped along to each other’s music.  It is funny how you can communicate without words!

After lunch back at the stilt house it was time to say good bye to Mrs. Vuong.  Barbara, Susie, and Bruno were ready to go while sporting the scarves the lovely lady had woven.

We were driving back to Hanoi for dinner but stopped along the way.  Everything is made to seem spontaneous but we know that Phil and other OAT guides have been here before.  He got some corn at the road side stand and showed us different fruits and vegetables.  The roasted corn is not sweet like we are and is tough. Barbara fed hers to the cow wandering about.

I couldn’t help but joke about how the eggs are cleverly packaged.

                                                                They didn’t put all their eggs in one basket!

We stopped at one place to get coffee if you wanted and to use the rest room.  Since there was no door we took turns creating cover like Frida and Susie are doing here.  Hard to believe that Frieda is our senior member at 81!  She has a delightful sense of humor spritzed with Yiddish adages.  Frieda is from Manhattan and we have all seen her work in the past. Most of her career she was the Production Manager for both Sesame Street and the Electric Company!

We arrived back in Hanoi in time for dinner and then headed for the train station for an experience we were all looking forward to – an overnight journey on a sleeper train – the Sapaly Express!  (Here they are all laughing at my Cheeses of Nazareth joke which makes for a great photo.)

Left to right we have Frieda, Susie, Anna, Barbara, Bruno, Glenda and her daughter Leah.

The train cabins had two upper and two lower berths.  The walls had a wood finish and there was a large window beneath which a small table separated the bunks. So that we would be more comfortable we were only two in a cabin.  The bathrooms were at either end of the train car.  On one end the toilet was to the side but the sinks were in the walkway.  If you bent over to brush your teeth you might be run into by the cart of the snack selling lady!

The table in each cabin held a basket with packages of crackers, toothbrushes and combs. The basket was nailed to the table. There was bottled water and scuffs for our use.  Everything was in fours.  We were all giddy with excitement and going from roomette to roomette to comment and laugh and take pictures. 

I took this through the window as we walked rapidly to the correct First Class car.

We finally settled down and Susie fell asleep.  I watched the pilot episode of Law and Order!  Soon, I was asleep too.  The beds were arranged in such a way that instead of rocking like in a cradle it was more like riding a roller coaster.

Nassau and Goodbye!

Our last sea day yesterday began the long goodbye.  We have met a lot of very nice and very interesting people on this voyage. Of course there were lots of Englishmen and women with whom I, of course, have an affinity.  Our trivia team was with two couples, one from Scotland and one from Birmingham.  The Scotsman I could never understand but he was so smart…a professor of engineering.  He could figure out complicated thing.  Gill, from the midlands was dynamite with music!  I knew T.V tunes so at least that was something.  I hope to see Gill and Robbie again sometime.  They come to the U.S. a lot.

Vern and Sheila sat with me a long time in the late evening laughing exchanging ideas about loyalty programs.  Vern likes to analyze everything.  So many different ‘new friends’

Our last talk from the Broadway guy was about ‘70’s musicals.  Of course I enjoyed that.

We arrived in Nassau early.  Four other ships were already there.  Carnival had the Ecstasy, Sensation, and Glory.  I have been on them all.  The first two are definitely popular with the booze cruise crowd.  Small and fun but old and on Caribbean or Nassau weekend runs for the most part.  Glory was my first Carnival cruise and that was to Alaska with Karen and Katie.

Also in port was the Norwegian Sun.  We met some of their passengers in the taxi on the way back from Atlantis.  That ship is on the beginning of a Caribbean tour.  Five ships, two of them large, means a lot of people wandering around.  The ships sell lots of tours but a lot of us walk off and just hang out.  

We did go off the ship today and take a taxi, $4 each way to Atlantis.  It is quite pretty. I had never been so was glad to go this one time. Carol had been many times so knew her way around.  We saw the shops and casino with its Chihuly chandeliers.  After a short time Elva wanted to wait on a bench as she was walked out.  She does like to people watch so that works out okay.

Unlike most casinos At Atlantis there is natural light as well as these pretty fixtures.  There are also doors that lead to the outdoors, to the beaches, and to the yachts parked right there!

  

Carol  and I walked over to the old tower where we saw the ballrooms, convention center facilities, some pretty fountains and more shops in the second lobby. There is a viewing tunnel where you can see through pretty scared p windows into some of the aquarium.  She said there used to be a café where you could have a coffee or lunch and watch the fish swim in the famous sea tank.  

 

These turtles were outside in one of the pools of what is now an old resort.

Both the waterfall and I look very natural, don't we!  And not at all time worn out!

After the tunnel we came out at the beach and past the pool.  I think you could probably go out on the beach or into the pool without too much difficulty even though you were not a guest.  We did not walk on the beach as we didn’t want to leave Elva sitting for more than the half hour.

The pool as seen from the tunnel.

We took a second mini-van taxi back to the ships.  The younger people often make their way to Senor Frog’s.  They then often become pier runners as the in boat is ready to sail but they are late.  At least here is not a tender port so it is easier.

We did see one very sad case with a different result.  We entered the Festival Building to go through security, such as it was, to go back to the ship.  A young man, maybe 35, was sitting on the rough cement floor, sort of bent over, and at an awkward angle.  He was wearing a swim suit, flip flops, and a lanyard.  At first I thought he might be homeless.

After security we were walking through the long cordon of tour people waiting for their bus when we saw a very determined lady with this same young man firmly in her grasp.  Carol said she saw a man help him to his feet inside.  He was barely moving his feet in a stumbling manner as his very embarrassed wife or girlfriend or mother was propelling him toward a Carnival ship. It wasn’t even lunch time and to be so far gone.  So sad, but he was lucky she could get him moving and she was lucky he didn’t totally trip and fall.

Carol and I couldn’t get an iced tea fast enough!  Since I had packed my suitcase the day before, I had the afternoon free to read on the warmth of the balcony, although Carol and I did go to Trivia.  Gill and Robbie didn’t show up so we didn’t stay.  We are not that quick at music as is Gill.  She scored 36 on a 15 questions test the other day.  She knew every song before it barely started.  Then added the correct performer, some I had never even heard of.  To top it off she had 6 of the dates correct for the year the song made #1 on the Pop Charts!

We decided to have dinner in the buffet.  Tonight we did this because the last two nights turned into long affairs.  Here is a friendly tip: If you are having three appetizers please ask the waiter to bring them all at once so five other people do not have to sit and watch you consume them while waiting for their main courses.  Thank you!

We didn’t go to the last show, an acrobatic performance, because we had seen them before.  I took a very hot steamy shower for my cold and it helped me fall asleep faster.  A few pages of my book and I slept pretty well once I got the coughing under control.  I was awake at five and got up about a quarter to six.  

Elva and I took advantage of self-assist disembarkation since our flight was at 11.  Too early to take a ship transfer.  Elva was deciding whether to walk off the ship or take a wheelchair lift.  I am glad she decided to ride.  It was a long walk like in New York and it also got us through Passport Control quickly.  Unfortunately the port assist girl was new to the job and left us where the private cars pick up instead of by the taxis.  It was a bit of a hike to the opposite end of the terminal to cross the street and make our way to the head of the taxi line.  

We did get a very nice driver and got to the airport in good time.  It was a long wait made longer because there was no delay in the security line and we had hedged our bets against any delay.  Elva and I would both rather wait longer at the airport than worry about running late and missing our flight.  The flight itself was packed and I am pretty sure most everyone on it was returning from a cruise.  As were most of the people waiting in the terminal!  The clothes tell it all!

The line at the only source of coffee in Terminal 2 at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport!

The flight was smooth, we landed early and there was a gate available which sometimes, most times, is not the case for an early arrival.  Karen met me after Elva and I parted ways once we had our bags.  She took the Marta home as is her habit.

I ended this long day freezing myself at Maddie’s last home game cheering for the Whitfield Wolfpack.  It was senior honors night for the fall sports athletes.  I was so proud to see Maddie cross the field with her Mom and Dad.  A big year for her and for me to be the Grandma!  No more trips planned, except for one.  I don’t want to miss much.  I will let you know in February when I am ready to sail to the Arctic Ocean!  Yes!  In February.  See you then!

Thanks for reading.  Please share!